Boat trailer



Feb. 12, 1963 J. w. HOLZMAN 3,077,277

BOAT TRAILER Filed June 20, 1960 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 JAM ES W. HOLZMANATTORNEY Feb. 12, 1963 Filed June 20. 1960 J. W. HOLZMAN BOAT TRAILER 3Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. JAMES W. HOLZMAN BY Wind/91M ATTORNEY Efiihfi?Fascinated Feb. 12, 1953 This invention pertains to boat loading andtransporting devices, and more particularly to a trailer wherein theweight of a boat is proportioned between keel engaging means and bull ening means.

Prior constructions, such as the R. Z. Reeder Patent No. 2,827,188,March 18, 1958, have utilized a movable primary support for a boat andsecondary supports shiftable into stabilizing engagement with the hullof the boat by movement of the primary support. However, these priorconstructions have been complicated in design and expensive tomanufacture.

Therefore, a primary object of this invention is to provide a simple andinexpensive boat trailer having means for proportioning the weight of aboat between a keel engaging means and hull engaging means.

Another ob'ect of this invention is the provision of means forsupporting a boat over extensive areas which are automaticallyadjustable to minimize strain of the boat structure.

in one preferred embodiment of this invention a boat trailer frame isprovided with a transverse member secured to the longitudinal sides ofthe frame. A pair of angularly-shaped members are pivotally mounted attheir apexes about spaced longitudinally extending axes on thetransverse member. A plurality of bull rollers are pivotally secured tothe outer end of each of the angularlyshaped members and means includinga keel roller movably connects the inner ends of the members. Hence,when the boat contacts the keel boat causes pivotal movement of the pairof angular members to move the hull rollers into weight supportingcontact with the boat. As a result, the weight of the boat isproportioned between the hull rollers and the keel roller.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent uponconsideration of the following detailed description when taken inconnection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a boat trailer in accordance with the presentinvention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation view of the trailer shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a rear elevation view of the keel roller and hull rollerweight proportioning structure shown in the normal position before aboat is placed thereon;

FIG. 4 is a view of the keel roller and bull roller weight proportioningstructure similar to FIG. 3 illustrating the position thereof when aboat is placed thereon;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged plan view of the keel roller construction partlycut away to reveal the supporting structure;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged detail view of the keel roller constructionillustrating the position thereof before a boat has contacted the keelroller; and

FIG. 7 is a view similar to FIG. 6 showing the keel roller in depressedposition as when a boat is disposed thereon.

Referring more particularly to the drawings wherein like referencenumerals indicate like parts throughout, and more particularly to FIG.1, the present trailer comprises a frame generally indicated at ill. Theframe includes horizontal longitudinally extending frame sides 12 and 14which are spaced apart and parallel for a portion of the length of theframe. The frame sides 12 and 14 terroller the weight of the minateforwardly in converging elongated extensions 16 and 18. The frame sides12 and 14 are rigidly connected by three transverse longitudinallyspaced brace members 2d, 22 and 24. A keel engaging roller 26 of hardrubber or the like is suitably journaled for rotation on each of thetransverse members 2t 22 and 24. The two forward keel rollers extendupwardly and rearwardly at an angle from the transverse members 20 and22 whereas the rear keel roller extends substantially parallel to theframe it to facilitate loading and launching of the boat from the water.

The trailer frame ll? is provided with any preferred type of Wheeledundercarriage such as that indicated generally at The structure thus fardescribed is generally conventional in nature and may be subjected tomany changes or modifications to suit a particular boat.

Means is provided to proportion the weight of the boat on the trailerbetween keel engaging means and bull engaging means. More particularly,the trailer frame ill is provided with three transversely extendinglongitudinally spaced weight proportioning assemblies indicatedgenerally at 3%, 32 and .34. Each weight proportioning assembly 3d, 32and 34 includes a transversely extending mounting brace 36 (FIG. 3 andFIG. 4). The mounting braces 36 are rigidly attached to the frame sidemembers l2 and 14 or as is the case with weight proportionassembly 3%the mounting brace 36 is attached to side extensions 1- and 13.

A pair of angularly-shaped levers or members 3-8 and 4% are mounted attheir apexes for rotation about pivot pins 42 and 44 fixed on the bracemembers 36. The pivot pins 42 and 44 are transversely spaced on themedial portion of the brace members 36 and provide substantiallyparallel longitudinally extending axes for the angular members 38 and llA plurality of bull engaging rollers 46 are suitably journaled forrotation in a bracket member 48 which is in turn mounted for rotationabout a pin Sll secured adjacent the outer end of each angularly-shapedmember 38 and 40. While the drawings disclose three rollers mounted ineach bracket member 48, it is obvious that any number of rollers may beutilized. The only criteria is that the larger the number of rollers thegreater the contact area and consequently less strain on the hull.

Means is provided to movably connect the inner ends of theangularly-shaped members 38 and 413. More specifically, a downwardlyfacing channel-shaped bracket 52 is provided with upwardly extendingears 54 which journal a pintle member 56 of a keel engaging roller 58.

is best shown in FIG. 5, the inner ends of the angularl shaped members38 and 4%) are provided with bifurcations 6%, s2 and 64, 66respectively. The inner ends of bifurcations 64 and 66 are positionedwithin and overlapped by bifurcations 6t} and 62 and both are housed bythe downwardly facing channel portion of bracket 52.

The bifurcations 60 and 62 of angularly-shaped member 38 are providedwith elongated slots 68 and 79. The elongated slot 68 is slightlyconcavely curved and the end slot it? is of a slightly convexconfiguration. A pair of bolts '72 extend outwardly through theelongated slots 68 and the channel portion of bracket 52 and are firmlyheld in place by hex-head nuts 74. Another pair of bolts 76 extendoutwardly through bifurcations 6d and 65, elongated slots inbifurcations 6b and 62, and sub sequently through substantially verticalarcuate elongated slots 78 disposed in the channel portion of bracket52. Hex-head nuts 8d are threaded on the shank portion of bolts 76 tofixedly secure the same. A third pair of bolts 82 extend outwardlythrough bifurcations 64 and on, spacer washers b4, and thechannel-shaped portion of bracket 52, and also receive hex-head securingnuts 36.

,a plurality of sets of hull rollers.

3) From the foregoing it is apparent that relative pivotal movement mayoccur between angularly-shaped members 38 and 4t and keel rollersupporting bracket 52; whereas, bolts '72 may move in elongated slot 68and bolts 76 may move in both elongated slots 7% and 78.

Each of the weight proportioning assemblies 30, 32

and 34 is substantially similar in construction with the exception thatthe position of the pivot points 42 and 44- along the transverse brace36 may be varied and/or the angularit-y of angular members 38 and 4h maybe varied to conform to the shape of the boat. Accordingly, theangularity of members 38 and 40 of the forward weight proportioningassembly 30 will be substantially greater than that of the weightproportioning assemblies 32 and 34 to conform to the shape of the bow ofthe boat. To tilt the trailer bed for facilitating loading and launchingof the boat, a centrally disposed longitudinally extending tongue 88 ispiv-otally mounted at one end in a bracket 90 extending from the weightproportioning assembly 30. A suitable latch 92 is disposed along themedial portion of the tongue 88 to lock the tongue to the trailer framein substantially horizontal position. A keel roller M is suitablymounted on the tongue 88 adjacent latch 92 and is adapted to engage thebow of the boat and the extreme forward end of the tongue 88 is providedwith the conventional winch which is operable to pull the boat onto thetrailer.

In operation, to load the boat onto the trailer the trailer is backed tothe edge of the Water. The latch 92 is released and the trailer bed ispivoted about the wheeled undercarriage 28 to an inclined position. Thetow line is then attached to the boat and the winch 96 is operated tohaul the boat over the rear keel roller 26. Further operation of theWinch 96 pulls the boat onto keel roller 58 of the weight proportioningassembly 34. The weight of the boat on the keel roll-er 58 causespivotal movement of the angularly-shaped member 38 in a clock wisedirection about pivot point 42 and counterclockwise movement of theangularly-shape-d member 40 about pivot point 44. This action moves theweight proportioning assembly 34 from the position shown in FIG. 3 tothat shown in FIG. 4. As the hull of the boat advances, it comes intocontact with the hull rollers 46, gradually depressing them. As aresult, the weight of the boat is proportioned between the keel engagingroller 58 and the hull engaging rollers 46.

During-movement of the weight proportioning assembly 34 from normal todepressed position, as illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7 bolt 72 has movedfrom the extreme right end portion of elongated slot 68 to the extremeleft end thereof. At the same time, bolt '76 moves from the extrem eupward end of slot 78 and the extreme right end of slot 70 to theextreme downward portion of slot 78 and the extreme left end of slot 70.Thus, elongated slots 68, 7t) and 78 compensate for the angular movementof members 38 and 40 and permit substantially vertical movement of thekeel roller 58.

Upon further forward movement of the boat the keel rollers 58 of weightproportioning assemblies 32 and 30 will be engaged in sequence.Similarly, the Weight of the boat on the keel rollers willlift the hullrollers 46 of weight proportioning as'semblies 32 and '39 until the hullrollers assume support of a portion of the weight of the boat. It shouldbe particularly noted that the height of the fixed keel rollers 26 isequal to the height of the keel rollers '58 when these movable keelrollers are in their depressed'p osition. Thus,-the-fixed keel rollers26 'do not interfere with the weightproportioning function of assemblies30, 32 and 34. To launch the boat, the reverse of the above procedure ismerely followed.

It is now apparent that a simple and inexpensive boat trailer has beenprovided wherein the weight of the boat is proportioned between aplurality of keel rollers and With this arrangement the boat issupported over extensive areas and the support is automaticallyadjustable to minimize the strain on the boat structure at any point.Furthermore, the hull rollers 46 guide the boat during loading andlaunching and prevent lateral displacement thereof.

.While only a single embodiment of this invention has been shown anddescribed, it is apparent that there may be many changes in structure aswell as operation without departing from the scope of this invention asdefined by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a boat trailer the combination comprising a sup porting frame, apair of members each pivotally mounted relative to said frame at a pointintermediate the ends thereof, hull engaging means disposed on the outerend of each of said pair of members, and keel engaging means connectingthe inner ends of said pair of members, the keel engaging means beingoperated by the Weight of a boat thereon to pivot said pair of memberswhereby the Weight of the boat is proportioned between said hullengaging means and said keel engaging means, the position of said hu lengaging means and said keel engaging means being constantly adjusted inaccordance with the varying contour of the boat hull as the boat moveslongitudinally onto or from the trailer.

2. In a boat trailer the combination comprising a supporting framehaving substantially parallel sides, a transverse member secured to saidsides, a pair of transversely extending sin ularly-shaped memberspivotally mounted on said transverse member about transversely spacedlongitudinally extending axes, the outer end of each of said pair ofmembers having hull rollers pivotally mounted thereon, and meansincluding a keel roller movably connecting the inner ends of said pairof members and operable by the weight of a boat on the keel roller topivot one of said pair of members in a clockwise direction and the otherof said pair of members in a counterclockwise direction whereby theweight of the boat is proportioned between said hull rollers and saidkeel roller.

3. In a boat trailer the combination comprising a supporting framehaving substantially parallel sides, a mounting member secured to saidsides, a pair of transversely extending members, means mounting each ofsaid trans versely extending members for movement relative to saidmounting member, the outer end of each of said transversely extendingmembers having hull rollers pivotally mounted thereon, and meansincluding at least a keel roller connecting the inner ends of saidtransversely extending members and operable by the weight of a boat onsaid keel roller as the boat moves longitudinally onto or from thetrailer to pivot one of said transversely extending members in aclockwise direction and the other of said transversely extending membersin a counterclockwise direction whereby the weight of the boat isproportioned between said hull rollers and said keel roller.

4. A boat trailer comprising in combination a substantiallylongitudinaly extending trailer frame with suitable wheel and axle meansfor the mobility thereof means on said frame for attachment to a drawingvehicle, a mounting member located transversely to the longitudinal axisof said frame and being carried by said frame, a pair of transversemembers, means pivotally mounting said transverse members for movementrelative to said mounting member, boat contacting means carried by eachof said transverse members, and means including another boat contactingmeans connecting said transverse members and operated by the weight of aboat thereon to pivot one of said transverse members in a clockwisedirection and the other of said "transverse members in 'acounterclockwise direction whereby the weight of the boat isproportioned among said boat contacting means, the position of said boatcontacting means being constantly adjusted, upon movement of the boatlongitudinally onto or from the trailer so that beat contacting meanswill accommodate boat: hulls of various sizes and constantly varyingcontours.

5. A boat trailer comprising the combination of a substantiallylongitudinally extending trailer frame with suitable wheel and axlemeans for the mobility thereof, means on said frame for attachment to adrawing vehicle, a mounting member located transversely to thelongitudinal axis of said frame and being carried by the frame, a pairof transverse members each having hull roller means on the outer endthereof, and means intermediate the ends of each of said transversemembers operatively connected to said transverse members and saidmounting member for mounting said transverse members for movementrelative to the mounting member, and means including at least a keelroller connecting the inner ends of said transverse members and operableby the weight of a boat on said keel roller to pivot one of saidtransverse members in a clockwise direction and the other of saidtransverse members in a counterclockwise direction whereby said hullroller means engage the hull of the boat, the weight of the boat beingproportioned between said hull roller means and said keel roller, theposition of said hull roller means and said keel roller beingautomatically adjusted upon movement of the boat longitudinally onto orfrom the trailer so that said hull roller means remain in contact withthe hull of the boat as the contour thereof varies.

6. A boat trailer comprising the combination of a substantiallylongitudinally extending trailer frame having a pair of parallel sidemembers, wheel and axle means for supporting said trailer frame, meanson said frame for attachment to a drawing vehicle, a pair of mountingmembers located transversely to the longitudinal axis of said frame andbeing connected at the ends thereof to said frame, an automaticallyadjustable mechanism associated with each of said mounting memberscomprising a pair of transverse members each having hull roller means onthe outer end thereof, means intermediate the ends of each of saidtransverse members operatively connected to said transverse members andits respective mounting member for mounting said transverse members formovement relative to the mounting member, and means including keelroller means connecting the inner ends of said transverse members andoperable by the weight of a boat on said keel roller means to pivot oneof said transverse members in a clockwise direction and the other ofsaid transverse members in a counterclockwise direction whereby saidhull roller means engage the hull of the boat, the weight of the boatbeing proportioned between said hull roller means and said keel rollermeans, the position of said hull roller means and said keel roller meansbeing constantly adjusted by the varying contour of the boat as the boatmoves longitudinally onto or from the trailer so that said hull rollermeans and said keel roller means constantly support the boat hull.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS740,802 Brown Oct. 6, 1903 1,966,492 Fildes July 17, 1934 2,331,416Muller Oct. 12, 1943 2,533,352 Chapman et a1. Dec. 12, 1950 2,834,492Roy et a1 May 13, 1958

1. IN A BOAT TRAILER THE COMBINATION COMPRISING A SUPPORTING FRAME, APAIR OF MEMBERS EACH PIVOTALLY MOUNTED RELATIVE TO SAID FRAME AT A POINTINTERMEDIATE THE ENDS THEREOF, HULL ENGAGING MEANS DISPOSED ON THE OUTEREND OF EACH OF SAID PAIR OF MEMBERS, AND KEEL ENGAGING MEANS CONNECTINGTHE INNER ENDS OF SAID PAIR OF MEMBERS, THE KEEL ENGAGING MEANS BEINGOPERATED BY THE WEIGHT OF A BOAT THEREON TO PIVOT SAID PAIR OF MEMBERSWHEREBY THE WEIGHT OF THE BOAT IS PROPORTIONED BETWEEN SAID HULLENGAGING MEANS AND SAID KEEL ENGAGING MEANS, THE POSITION OF SAID HULLENGAGING MEANS AND SAID KEEL ENGAGING MEANS BEING CONSTANTLY ADJUSTED INACCORDANCE WITH THE VARYING CONTOUR OF THE BOAT HULL AS THE BOAT MOVESLONGITUDINALLY ONTO OR FROM THE TRAILER.